Clip



April 8, 1969 c. A. SECKERSON I 3,437,298

CLIP

' Filed Dec. 7/1966 lNl/ENTOR.'.

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United States Patent US. Cl. 248-71 2 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE The present invention relates to a clip which is suitable for releasably attaching a rod or cable to an apertured support in such a manner that the clip can be readily removed fromv the support while remaining attached to the rod or cable and retaining its position thereon.

According to the invention there is provided a clip for attaching a rod, cable or similar elongate article to an apertured support, the clip comprising 'a single strip of metal bent to an approximate U-shape to form two limbs joined by a web and adapted for insertion web first into the aperture in the panel, one of the limbs being formed intermediate its length with means for engaging one edge of the aperture in the support and the other limb being provided, approximately opposite the said means in the one limb, with an external projection and being bowed between the said projection and its free end about an axis transverse to its length to form a generally cylindrical rod, cable or similar article engaging portion, a tongue being sheared from the generally cylindrical portion, and being bent away from the cylindrical portion with its free end directed away from the web, the tongue being adapted to retain the rod, cable or similar elongate article in the generally cylindrical portion and the two limbs being adapted for snap-engagement into the aperture in the support with an edge of the aperture engaged in the said means on the one limb and an opposite edge of the aperture engaged between the projection and the cylindrical portion in the said other limb.

A preferred form of the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying diagrammatic drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevation of the clip of the invention,

FIGURE 2 is a front elevation URE 1,

FIGURE 3 is a rear elevation of the clip of FIGURES 1 and 2, and

FIGURE 4 is a side elevation of a cable held to an apertured support by the clip of FIGURES 1 to 3.

In FIGURES 1 to 3 a clip is indicated generally at which is formed to the shape shown from a single strip of metal and which, during manufacture is rendered resilient and preferably rustproof.

The clip 10 is approximately U-shaped and comprises two limbs 11 and 12 which are joined by a curved web 13.

of the clip of FIG- The limb 11 is bent intermediate its length away from the limb 12 and in the region of the bend line is formed in each of its side edges with a slot 14 and 15 respectively. The corners formed in the side edges of the limb by the slots 14 and 15 are bent outwardly of the limb 11 and form adjacent each slot a pair of co-operating prongs 16, 16a and 17, 17a respectively.

A resilient tongue 18 is sheared from the limb 12 and bent towards the limb 11 and the portion of the limb 12 from which the tongue 18 is sheared is bowed about an axis transverse the length of limb through an arc of ice approximately so as to form a generally cylindrical cable engaging portion 19 having its concave surface facing the tongue 18. A lug 20 is sheared from the tongue 18 and bent towards the limb 12 so that its free end is directed towards the side of the cylindrical portion 19 remote from the web 13. Between the web 13 and the portion 19 the limb 12 is formed with an external projection comprising a transverse rib 21 which projects from the same side of the limb 12 as the portion 19.

The clip 10 is used, as shown in FIGURE 4 to attach a cable 22 to a support panel 23 which is provided with a rectangular aperture 24.

The clip 10 is attached to the support panel by tilting the clip slightly and passing it web first down thorugh the aperture 24 until the rim on one side of the aperture is seated in the slots 14 and 15 of the limb 11. The clip is then straightened so as to snap-engage the rib 21 on the limb 12 past the opposite edge of the aperture 24, thereby removably fastening the clip to the support panel 23. It will be seen from FIGURE 4, that the portion 19 prevents the clip 10 from being over-inserted. In the assembled position an edge of the aperture 24 is clamped between the portion 19 and the rib 21 and the limbs 11 and 12 are compressed together.

When the clip 10 is attached to the support 23 the cable 22 is pressed down between the tongue 18 and the limb 12 into the cable engaging portion 19.

The dimensions of the clip are such that the tongue 18 and the limb 12 must be prised apart in order to get the cable into the portion 19 and when in place the cable is retained in place by the lug 20. Preferably, the radius of curvature of the portion 19 corresponds approximately to the radius of the cable.

In order to release the cable 22 the tongue 18 and limb 12 are manually prised apart until the lug 20 is clear of the cable 22 which can then be withdrawn from the portion 19.

The clip 10, with or without the cable engaged therein can be withdrawn from the support panel 23 by pinching the limbs 11 and 12 together until the rib 21 is drawn clear of the edge of the aperture 24 and the opposite edge of the aperture disengages from the slots 14 and 15 in the limb 11. It will be seen, however, that the clip 10 cannot be withdrawn from the aperture 24 merely by exerting an upward pull on the cable 22.

The sides of the cable-engaging portion 19' are bent inwardly towards the tongue 18 to form flanges 25 which bite into the outer covering of the cable 22 and resist axial movement of the cable 22 through the cable-engaging portion 19. Thus, if the cable is removed temporarily from the panel for any reason the clip 10 can be withdrawn from the aperture 24, while remaining attached to the cable and will retain its position on the cable so that, when the cable is replaced on the panel the clip 10 will again be correctly aligned with the aperture 24.

It will be understood that modifications as to detail may be made to the embodiment of the invention illustrated and described herein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention which is more particularly defined in the following claims.

What I claim is:

1. A clip for attaching a rod, cable or similar elongate article to an apertured support, the clip comprising a single strip of metal bent to an approximate U-shape to form two limbs joined by a 'web, adapted for insertion web first into the aperture in the panel, one of the limbs being formed intermediate its length with a pair of slots in its side edges for engaging one edge of the aperture in the support and an end portion projecting upwardly from the slots and the other limb being provided, approximately opposite the said slots in the one limb, with an external projection and being bowed between the said projection and its free end about an axis transverse to its length to form a generally cylindrical rod, cable or similar article engaging portion, a tongue being sheared from the generally cylindrical portion and being bent away from the cylindrical portion with its free end directed away from the web, the tongue being provided with a lug adapted to retain the rod, cable or similar elongate article in the generally cylindrical portion, and the two limbs being adapted for snap-engagement into the aperture in the support with an edge of the aperture engaged in the said slots on the one limb and an opposite edge of the aperture engaged between the projection and the cylindrical portion in the said other limb.

2. A clip as claimed in claim 1, wherein the edges of the cylindrical portion are flanged inwardly to bite against the surface of a rod, cable or similar elongate article seated in the cylindrical portion to resist axial movement of the rod, cable or similar elongate article relative to the clip.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 466,932 1/1892 Cornell 24874 X 1,943,261 1/1934 Knutson 24-73.7 3,024,509 3/1962 Hamann 24871 X 3,194,524 7/1965 Trumbull 248-74 CHANCELLOR E. HARRIS, Primary Examiner.

U.S. C1. X.R. 

